"Why Don't My Usual Stretches Help My Back Pain?"

Like many health conditions, low back pain
is a chronic problem. Patients with low back pain typically suffer on
and off for years. Back pain seems to come on when we overexert or do
something out of the ordinary, such as moving boxes or when returning to
a sport we have not tried since our high school days.

Both the
weekend warrior and the daily athlete will attest to the benefits of
stretching prior to engaging in a physical activity as a means to help
prevent injury. But stretching is typically not a good treatment plan in
the face of back pain. Why is that? Why is something so effective for
preventing a problem and yet so completely useless as a cure? However,
some patients are lucky. Through trial and error, they may find that the
stretching actually causes their back pain to get better. But over the
years, its effectiveness diminishes. Some patients will say that their
normal pre-activity stretches actually make the pain worse.

Stretching
is designed to lengthen muscles and tendons, but back problems
typically affect the ligaments and the disks. So while stretching may
help a tight muscle, its affect on ligaments can be detrimental as the
ligaments may already be overstretched, which can allow the bones to
creep into abnormal positions.

Another factor to consider is
that the delicate nerves of the lower spine cross the disk areas. With
stretching, those nerves can lengthen and become even more irritated.

If
you find that your normal stretches seem to have no effect on your pain
or even make the pain worse, then that is a sign the ligaments have
been damaged. Stretching will not help in this scenario and you will
need to consult a doctor of chiropractic who can then perform an
examination of the ligaments and disks.

The adjustments that
chiropractors perform are designed to align the bones of the spine so
that the ligaments do not remain stretched-out, producing pain. Over
weeks, the bones begin to hold their normal position for longer periods
of time and gradually the ligaments begin to shorten.

Your doctor
can also advise you on stretches that lengthen the muscles but do not
cause further stretch to the already damaged ligaments of the lower
spine.

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This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.